Cape Town - The family of magistrate and former prosecutor Romay van Rooyen are banking on post-mortem results expected to be released today to shed light on the mystery surrounding her death.
The family confirmed this during a visit from Minister of Police Bheki Cele, who told them that the Hawks had taken over the investigations into the 50-year-old woman’s murder.
Cele, who met the family in front of Romay’s enclosed Marina da Gama house, expressed his condolences. He said Van Rooyen’s killing was a direct attack on the state and its integrity.
“Our first prize would be to find out what happened that day and who did it. We can’t bring her back but it would be good for someone to answer one day why did it happen and why that person did it. We have agreed that we will hand over this case to the Hawks so that it gets the profile and the attention it deserves.
“We are taking the case seriously. We have spoken to the national head of Hawks and there is some ground covered, but we feel the case deserves to be taken to that serious level,” he said.
Asked about the police’s plans to protect judges and magistrates, Cele alluded to the fact that the Western Cape was the only province “where more police protect police”. He however could not say whether Van Rooyen’s death was related to her work as a magistrate or if it was a robbery.
Cele said he would be talking broadly about these matters today. He was expected to hold a media briefing to shed some light on preliminary investigations done on the case and other cases where with the Provincial
Police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile (they) would address the escalating crime concerns, including the rampant kidnappings and extortion in the province.
Family member Tasswell van Rooyen, who recounted what transpired when the family members discovered the lifeless body of his sister on Saturday, told Cele that the justice system had lost a dedicated person in the fight against crime.
Her Toyota Rav4 was reportedly recovered in Siqalo informal settlement, near Mitchells Plain, on Sunday.
He said there were no visible stress marks on Romay’s body which could have indicated the cause of her death.
“As much as it is a loss for us, it’s also a loss for the criminal justice system. My sister worked hard, she studied under difficult circumstances and made a way as a female coloured in the position where she was.
“She worked for the NPA and was part of the judiciary whenever she was needed. She was even shot in the leg once when (she) came out of court. So she did a lot. She was passionate. She didn’t have a family of her own as she wasn’t married. However, she loved the work. She lived for the criminal justice system,” he said.
He said there were no security concerns before Romay’s death.
CPF Muizenberg precinct PRO Lorraine Moko said Van Rooyen was the second magistrate to be found dead in their home in less than three years in the precinct after the mysterious death of advocate Francois Luyt in late 2019.
Moko said the killing of law officers would not make cases disappear. She asked community members with information to assist the police.
Anyone with information can contact Crime Stop anonymously at 08600 10111 or via the MySAPSApp.